Portable valve-operating apparatus



May 45, 19,25.

P.. P. DEAN PORTABLE VALVE `OPERA'IING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 2, 1920 IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNE Y May 5,1925. 4 1,536,081 P. P. DEAN PORTABLEVALVE OPERATING APPARATUS `15 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan, 2, 1920 INVEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

May 5, 1925.Y

P. P. DEAN PORTABLE VALVE OPERATING PPARATUS s sheets-sheet s Filed Jan. 2, 1920 IN VEN TOR.

A TT ORNEY.

Patented May 5, 1925. f

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

:PETER P. DEAN, OF SOUND BEACH, CONNECTICUT.

PORTABLE VALVE-OPERATING APPARATUS.

Application led January 2, 1920. Serial" No. 349,126.

State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Portable Valve-Operating Ap aratus, of which the following is a full, c ear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this speciication.

This invention relates to valve operating apparatus. l

An object of the invention is to provide a portable valve operating apparatus particularly adapted for operating underground valves, said apparatus employing an internal combustion engine for valve operation. f

Another object is to provide a portable valve operating apparatus employing an internal-combustion engine wherein provision is made fo-r automatically stopping the e'ngine upon operation of the controlled valve to any predetermined degree.

Another object is to provide a portable valve operating apparatus of the aforesaid character wherein provision is also made for interrupting the driving connections between the engine and the valve when the former is stopped.

Another object is to provide a portable valve operating apparatus including an engine driven vehicle wherein provision is made for utilizing the engine of said vehicle for valve operation.

Various -other. objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawing illustrates one embodiment of the invention which will now be described, it being understood that the invention maybe embodied in other forms falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a schematic view of' the apparat-us showing the same employed yfor op.

erating an underground valve. l

Fig. 2-is an elevational view of the reduction gear of the apparatus partially in section Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the reduction gear;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the limit switch; and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the limit switch and circuits controlled thereby.

teferring to Fig. 1, the apparatus includes an automobile chassis 1 having mounted on the rear end thereof a bracket 2 supporting two vertical revoluble shafts 3 and 4 respectively provided with meshing pinions 5 and 6 to insure rotation thereof in opposite direct-ions, .the shaft 3 having a beveled gear 7 meshing with a beveled gear 8 to be driven by the engine of the chassis or an auxiliary engine through a reduction gear contained in a casing 9 also mount-ed on the bracket 2. Thus the shafts 3 and 4 may be utilized selectively as valve operating members to operate the valve in opposite directions.

The apparatus may be employed as illustrated for operating anunderground valve 10 through a sha-ft 11 having socketed end portions 12 and 13 connected thereto by universal joints, said end. ,portions being adapted to respectively fit the operating stem 14 of the valve and one of the shafts 3, 4, said stem and shafts having squared or splined ends. Such a shaft enables the apparatus to be connected to the valve without, alignment of their driving and driven parts and the shaft may be formed of telescoping sections as shown, to avoid the necessity of accurate positioning of the apparatus relative to the valve.-

The valve illustrated is provided with an indicating mechanism 15, preferably of the form disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 349,125, Jan. 2,r 1920, said mechanism at all times indicating the number of revolutions required to move the valve to one extreme position and also showing the number of revolutions required to eect movement of the valve between limits. Thus the number of revolutions required to either open or close the valve may be definitely ascertained; and the operating apparatus is provided with a limit switch 16 which may be set to move the valve to either limit or to any intermediate position and then stop the engine. The device 16 is shown as mounted on a bracket 17 fixed to bracket 2 and driven by an.element of the reduction gear' enclosed in casing 9 through a flexible shaft 18 and reduction gears 19 and 20 although it ,may be otherwise mounted and operated. As shown, the reduction gear is adapted to be driven by the automobile engine through connect-ions comprising a shaft 21 fixed to the end of the engine shaft similarly to a crank and having fixed thereon a pinion 23 meshing with a pinion 24 keyed to but slidable upon a shaft 25 extending beneath the frame of the chassis and connected by a universal joint 26' to a shaft 27 which drives through bevel gears 28 and 29 a shaft of said reduction gear. The shafts 21 and 25 have bearings in a bracket 30 which may be fixed to the frame of the chassis and the shaft 21 has a portion 31 to be engaged by a crank 32, the usual spring 33 being provided to disengage the crank from said shaft. Thus the engine may becranked in the usual way or may be operated by a self starter, if one is provided, the pinion 24 being meshed with pinion 23 when itis desired to operate the reduction gear and being -disengaged therefrom when it is desired to utilize the engine for propelling the chassis. However, it is to be understood that any other preferred driving connections mightk be employed.

The reduction gear is preferably of a type shown in my prior Patent No. 1,245,574, of Nov. 6, 1917, and as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, comprises axially aligned driving and driven shafts 37 and'38 respectively revolubly mounted in the casing 9, a pinion 39 fixed to the shaft 37, a member 40 fixed to the shaft 38 and carrying a plurality of pinions 41 meshing with the pinion 39 and an internally toothed ring 42 revolubly mounted within the casing and meshing with the pinions 41, the shaft 37 being 'driven through a Worm 43 and worm wheel 44 by "a shaft- 45 projecting through the casing and connected to shaft 27 (Fig. 1). rllhus the arrangement is such that when the rmg 42 is restrained against rotation the shaft 45 will drive `through the aforesaid gears to rotate the` shaft 38 at a reduced speed whereas release of the ring 42 will release the shaft 38 from the shaft 45. The

'ring 42 has a peripheral groove to receive a restraining plug 46, said. ring having within said groove a block 47 -to engage said plug. xhe plug 46 is illustrated as comprising the plunger of a solenoid winding48 mounted i ithin the casing 9 and as being biased bya spring 49 to enter the groove in ring 42, the winding 48 being adapted to withdraw said plug from said groove. Also, the plug has an operating handle 50 connectedto --an extension thereof by a pin 51, said handle enabling the plug to be retracted at will and being rotatable to engage the pin 51 with a stop 52 provided on the top of the casing whereby the plug may be locked in retracted position. The plug may thus be withdrawn to interrupt the 'driving connection between the engine and theshaft 38 to permit starting of the former and may then be released. tolock the ring. However, the lug will not lock the ring until the latter 1s rotated to bring the block 47 into con tact with saidfplug and if the ring is permitted a substantial degree of rotation before contacting with the plug, a hammer like blow will be imparted to the valve operating member which is particularly advantageous for unseating the valve. The winding 48, as will appear, is controlled by the limit device 16 to release the ring 42 upon stopping of the motor but Vthe same may be omitted if manual control of the plug is sufficient.

The limit switch, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, comprises a rotatably mounted contact arm 53 adapted to co-operate with contacts 54 and 55 carried by a dial 56. The arm 53 is fixed to a spindle 57 revolubly mounted in a hollow shaft 58 having a bearing 59 in the disk 56, said sl1aft'58 having keyed thereto the gear 19 which as Shown in Fig. 1. is driven by the above described reduction gear. The hollow shaft 58 is provided with a serrated annular flange 59 to be engaged by a serrated face 60 of arm 53, said arm being yieldingly held against the serrated lange by a spring 61 surrounding spindle 57 and interposed between the end of shaft 58 and a collar 62 threade'd onto said spindle. Arm 53 may thus be withdrawn as by a'handle 63 fromv engagement with the serrated flange 59 of the hollow shaft for adjustment of said arm rotarily to vary the distance between the arm and the contacts 54 and 55. This distance determines the number of revolutions which the valve operating member is allowed to make before the engine is stopped by engagement of said arm with contact 55 and hence the aforesaid adjustment of said arm .enables variation at will of the permitted number of revolutions, said dial bemg scaled for revolutions of said ber. y

As shown in Fig. 5, the arm 53 co-operates with contact 5 5 to stop the engine as by valve operating memgrounding its magneto, a magneto 64 of conyentlonal form being shown w1th a con- -nection 65 between the same and contact said arm being connected to ground by a. conductor 66. Also, as shown 1n Fig. 5, the arm co-operates wlth contact 54 to von -nect winding 48 across a battery ,67, said .winding having one terminal connected to )Contact 54 and its other terminal connected to one side of the battery which has its opposite side connected to arm 53.' The wind ing when energized retracts the plug 46 and a bell 68 is connected in parallel with said winding to serve as ajsignal forthe attendant to, withdraw the arm 53 from engage- -ment with contacts 54 and 55.

It is to be understood that the limit device might be utilized to otherwise control the other. However, in order to prevent racing of the engine 1t 1spreferred to com-` plete the magneto grounding circuit prior to or simultaneously with the completion of the circuitof winding 48.

That I claim as new 'and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a portable valve operating apparatus, in combinationa pair of oppositely rotating valve operating members, an internal combustion engine, driving connections between said engine and said members and control means for said engine operable 'unidirectionally by a part'driven by said engine 1r-respeet-1ve of the direction of valve operation, said control means including an adjustable' element to be set to effect stopping of said engine upon completion of a predetermined number of revolutions of either of said valve operatingmembers.

2. In a portable valve operating 'appa "atas, in combination, a rotatable valve operating member, a reduction gear through which said member is to be driven, an engine driven vehicle carrying said elements, driving connections between said reduction gear and the engine of said vehicle whereby said engine may be utilized to drive said member, and means carried by said vehicle to arrest said member automatically upon completion of a given number of revolutions thereof.

3. In a portable valveoperating apparatus, in combination, a rotatable valve operating member, a reduction gear through which said member is to be driven, an engine driven vehicle carrying said elements, driving connection between said reduction gear and the engine-of said vehicle whereby said engine may be utilized to drive said member, and means carried by said vehicle to stop said 'engine 'automatically upon completion of a given number of revolutions of said member. v

4. In a portable valve operating apparatus, in combination, a .rotatable valve operating member, an internal combustion engine, speedreducing driving connect-ions therebetween including a member requiring restraint to render saidl connections effective l and an electromagnetlcally controlled ret'4 straining member therefor, and a limit device controlling said engine and said electromagnetic means to stop said engine and effect release of said restrained member upon completion of a given number of revolutions of said valve operating member.

5. In a portable valve operating apparatus, in combination, an engine driven vehicle, a rotatable valve operating member and driving connections'between said member and the engine of said vehicle including a reduction gear having a rotatable element requiring restraint to render said connections eiiective and a member to be engaged with and disengage from said rotatable element to restrain and release the same.

6. In a portable valve operating apparatus, in combination, an engine driven vehicle, a rotatable valve operating member and driving connections between said member and the engine of said vehicle including a reduction gear having a rotatable element requiring restraint to render said connections eiiec-tive and a member to be vengaged with and disengaged from said rotatable element to restrain and release the sa-me, said rotatable element having a rotary play relative to said member when in restraining position.

7 A portable valve operating apparatus comprising an engine driven vehicle, oppositely rotatable valve operating members carried thereby, driving connections between said members and the vengine of said vehicle including a reduction gear having a rotatable element requiring restraint to render said connections effective and a restraining member for said element operable to release the same and a limitfdevice mounted on said vehicle to stop said engine upon completion of a given number of revolutions of either of sald valve operating members.

8. In a portable valve operating mechaensA nism, in combination, an engine driven vehicle, a rotatable valve operating member `carried thereby and driving connections bctweensaid memberxand the engine of said vehicle including a reduction gear having a rotatable element requiring restraint `to render said connections effective and further including means to disconnect said reduction gear from 'said engine.

9. In a valve operating apparatus, in combination, anengine, means driven thereby to effect reverse operations ofthe controlled valve and limit means to effect arrest of the operation of the former -means automatically, said limit means having driving,

connections with certain of the aforementioned elements whereby 1t operates umdirectionally irrespective of the direction of valve operation, and said limit means including an adjustable element tofbe set to" effect stopping upon completion of predetermined valve operations and tov be set in the same manner regardless of the direction of valve operation.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name. 1'

' i PETER P. DEAN. 

